OUR STAFF
Kyle Hanawalt | Executive Director
Fiona Cantorna | Willard Site Director
Stephany Miranda | Dewey Site Director
Tricia Murray | Director of Staffing and Professional Development
Lesly Marroquin | Washington Site Director
Tiana Smith | Lincolnwood Site Director
Tasha Triplett | Director of Programming
Kelli Wynn | Lincoln Site Director
Stephanie Black | Kingsley Site Director
OUR BOARD
Susie Pratt
Current Company/Organization: Pratt Richards Group
Professional Career: Our consulting practice specializes in impact - either by helping organizations with strategic planning, or articulate and measure it through evaluation.
How You Came to B&B: I started when Andalib Khelghati recruited me, a Dewey parent, to volunteer at the Dewey program. I’ve been working with the program ever since. It’s the highlight of my week.
Susie Pratt
Diego Lopez
Current Company/Organization: Senior Business Program Specialist at Deloitte
Professional Career and How You Came to B&B: As a previous Northwestern tutor and current board member, it is easy to see the impact of Books and Breakfast. As someone who grew up in a low-income family where we didn't always have the resources others had, it is amazing to see B&B students receive the care, support, and love that they need to start the day off physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared. I believe in Books and Breakfast because I see the impact it has on the students, school, and community. I see Books and Breakfast making a lasting difference in the experience of underrepresented communities in Evanston.
Diego Lopez
Devon Alexander
Imani Wilson
Imani Wilson (she/her/hers) grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. She first landed in Evanston when she started her bachelor’s degree program at Northwestern University. While at Northwestern, she studied Social Policy, Latinx Studies and volunteered as a B&B tutor at Kingsley Elementary school. Driven by her desire to have an impact on schools & students, she pursued a degree in social work and graduated from the University of Chicago in 2020. Currently, she is in her 4th year as a school social worker at Evanston Township High School. At ETHS she serves on the racial equity committee, teacher’s council, and is an organizer for the Black student summit. In her free time she enjoys doing yoga & baking.
Imani Wilson
Chris Skey
Current Company/Organization: Quarles & Brady LLP
Professional Career: I’m a partner at the Quarles & Brady law firm in Chicago, where I practice in the areas of energy and infrastructure law. I work with a wide range of clients on energy regulation, energy project development (mostly renewables these days!), administrative litigation, and energy contracting. I also serve as our Chicago office’s pro bono partner, and I chair the Advisory Board of Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, one of the oldest civil pro bono legal services organizations in the country.
How You Came to B&B: When B&B expanded to Kingsley a few years back, I had the good fortune to sign up for a tutor training session. Working with the dedicated B&B staff and other community volunteers, I felt immediately at home tutoring in the B&B program, and I continue to tutor through B&B’s elementary and middle school sites. The opportunity to serve on B&B’s board was a natural extension of my commitment to B&B’s good works.
Chris Skey
Marybeth Schroeder
Marybeth retired in 2020 as Vice President of Programs at Evanston Community Foundation after nearly 21 years leading grantmaking programs and the Leadership Evanston program. Until recently, she continued to do some consulting work with ECF, and she still consults part-time with other nonprofits and institutions. Before coming to ECF, Marybeth managed a national education project for Urban Libraries Council, served as chief of staff to a Chicago alderman, and worked as a librarian. She is a proud Illini and has a MA in Library Science from University of Chicago. In her semi-retirement, she takes classes at Northwestern's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (coordinating one focused on mysteries); explores Chicago's vibrant theatre, dining, and arts scene as much as possible; and expands her travel horizons.
In her role at ECF, Marybeth had the privilege of working with B&B from its founding when it entered their capacity-building grant cohort program, root2fruit. Over the years, she worked together when B&B participated in two matching gift programs. As a former librarian who believes in the power of reading, B&B's mission of supporting children and their families and building equity really resonates with her. And as someone with a passion for building strong nonprofits, she's been really impressed with B&B's thoughtful growth and development.
Marybeth Schroeder
Andalib Khelghati
Current Company/Organization: Evanston Skokie School District 65
Professional Career and How You Came to B&B: Over 20 years of service in education playing a variety of roles including teacher, literacy coach, consultant, and school administrator. Currently serving as the assistant superintendent of school, I have led strategic initiatives focused on increasing racial equity in the district. This journey began for me when I began my collaboration with Kim Hammock and partnered to grow B&B with a focus on better serving the students at Dewey.
Andalib Khelghati
Lakesha Lockett
Current Company/Organization: Epic Academy
Professional Career: I have held various communications and development positions for nonprofit organizations serving children and families. Driven by a passion for continued learning, I received a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Wisconsin Parkside in 2016. I recently joined EPIC Academy as the Director of Development and Communications.
How You Came to B&B: After a couple of conversations, Kathy recruited me as a candidate for the board. Once I spoke with Kim and Tasha, I was excited by their commitment to the work and my passion for helping youth aligned with the mission. After that meeting, I knew I wanted to serve on the board.
Lakesha Lockett
Ivan Adames
Current Company/Organization: Aspen Leadership Group & Food Bank For NYC
Professional Career: I am a seasoned professional with experience in organizational and team management, fundraising and advancement in higher education, academic medicine, nonprofits, international development, and diversity and inclusion in philanthropy. I previously served as the chief development officer at DePaul University, the largest Catholic university in the U.S., where I oversaw the fundraising and advancement services units. Previously I was the Executive Director of Schools & Programs at Northwestern University. I have also served as the director of development for international programs at Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, working closely with faculty, physicians, alumni, and grateful patient benefactors. I have held professional positions at varied education institutions including the Ohio State University, Imperial College London, and the University of Massachusetts Foundation. As a former Fulbright Scholar (Germany), I was a recent contributor and chapter author for the book Advancing Higher Education: New Strategies for Fundraising, Philanthropy, and Engagement (2019). I am a past board member of the Science of Philanthropy Initiative at the University of Chicago.
Ivan Adames
Candance Chow
Candance is the Managing Director and Co-Founder at NextGroup LLC. She spent the first part of her career in nonprofit advocacy and management, which was followed by a 20+ year stint in various facets of management consulting and tech start-up management. In 2019, NextGroup was founded by her and three other Evanston women to provide support and advancement opportunities for women and professionals of color who are relaunching, pivoting, or transitioning in their careers.
Candance was on the D65 School Board and a parent at Kingsley when the B&B program launched at the school in 2017. Candance and her husband began volunteering during that time, and later on, their daughter also joined as a volunteer through the B&B program with Northwestern. The Chows are a B&B family through and through, embodying a spirit of community involvement and support for educational initiatives.
Candance Chow
Sandra Chiu-Atkinson
Background: I am a first generation American, the daughter of Hong Kong immigrants, and grew up in central Illinois at a time when there were few minorities in my community and in my school. Luckily, I had a couple of good friends and a love of reading. With the strong support of my parents, some wonderful teachers and my books, I was the first in my family to graduate from college, Brown University. It was a big deal for my parents. After college, I worked in Congress for two Senators on transportation and trade policies for five years. I then moved to United Airlines as the Director for International Affairs, negotiating for greater aviation access in foreign markets and helping solve doing-business problems overseas. I eventually started an aviation consulting practice, which represented airport authorities in Washington DC, Boston, Denver and Oakland, CA. Currently, I volunteer and chaired Woman’s Club of Evanston (WCE) committees that focus on supporting local nonprofits serving those in need. It was during my work at WCE that I learned about Books & Breakfast’s exceptional work providing emotional, physical and academic support for children in our community. I live in Evanston with my husband Graham, another first generation American, and have two multiracial children who went through the Evanston public school system. Why I am at Books & Breakfast: Raising happy, resilient and loving children takes a community. B&B harnesses that community energy to help children in need by giving them a nutritious meal to start their day, providing academic support, and letting them know they belong and are loved. In addition to my board duties supporting B&B’s operations and fundraising efforts, I volunteer at one of the B&B school sites that has a large number of children from our vibrant immigrant community. I get great joy sharing my love of books with them and letting them know there are others in our community who care deeply about them
Sandy Chiu
John Kim
John Kim has recently joined the B&B Board, bringing with him a diverse background and a deep connection to the Evanston community. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found Brothers K Coffeehouse in 2005, Backlot Coffee in 2016, and DeSalvo’s Pizza in 2022. Having called Evanston home since 1996, John has worn many hats, from a finance professional post-college to studying for pastoral service with the Evangelical Free Church of America, and even serving in a local church right here in Evanston.
In 2005, John embarked on a new journey, dedicating himself to nurturing hospitality ventures in Evanston and Chicago, reflecting his passion for community and service. His personal life is deeply rooted in Evanston as well, with his three children thriving in the D65 school district—having transitioned from Kingsley to Haven Middle School. John’s engagement with B&B began as a volunteer, where he quickly grew fond of the organization’s mission.
John Kim